records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the piers； though at a late hour； were perfectly crowded； and just as the
SMEATON cleared the harbour； all on board united in giving three hearty
cheers； which were returned by those on shore in such good earnest； that；
in the still of the evening； the sound must have been heard in all parts of
the town； re…echoing from the walls and lofty turrets of the venerable
Abbey of Aberbrothwick。 The writer felt much satisfaction at the manner
63
… Page 64…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
of this parting scene； though he must own that the present rejoicing was；
on his part； mingled with occasional reflections upon the responsibility of
his situation； which extended to the safety of all who should be engaged in
this perilous work。 With such sensations he retired to his cabin； but as
the artificers were rather inclined to move about the deck than to remain in
their confined berths below； his repose was transient； and the vessel being
small every motion was necessarily heard。 Some who were musically
inclined occasionally sung； but he listened with peculiar pleasure to the
sailor at the helm； who hummed over Dibdin's characteristic air：…
‘They say there's a Providence sits up aloft； To keep watch for the life
of poor Jack。'
＇Tuesday； 18th Aug。＇
The weather had been very gentle all night； and； about four in the
morning of the 18th； the SMEATON anchored。 Agreeably to an arranged
plan of operations； all hands were called at five o'clock a。m。； just as the
highest part of the Bell Rock began to show its sable head among the light
breakers； which occasionally whitened with the foaming sea。 The two
boats belonging to the floating light attended the SMEATON； to carry the
artificers to the rock； as her boat could only accommodate about six or
eight sitters。 Every one was more eager than his neighbour to leap into
the boats and it required a good deal of management on the part of the
coxswains to get men unaccustomed to a boat to take their places for
rowing and at the same time trimming her properly。 The landing…master
and foreman went into one boat； while the writer took charge of another；
and steered it to and from the rock。 This became the more necessary in
the early stages of the work； as places could not be spared for more than
two； or at most three seamen to each boat； who were always stationed； one
at the bow； to use the boat…hook in fending or pushing off； and the other at
the aftermost oar； to give the proper time in rowing； while the middle oars
were double…banked； and rowed by the artificers。
As the weather was extremely fine； with light airs of wind from the
east； we landed without difficulty upon the central part of the rock at half…
past five； but the water had not yet sufficiently left it for commencing the
work。 This interval； however； did not pass unoccupied。 The first and
64
… Page 65…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
last of all the principal operations at the Bell Rock were accompanied by
three hearty cheers from all hands； and； on occasions like the present； the
steward of the ship attended； when each man was regaled with a glass of
rum。 As the water left the rock about six； some began to bore the holes
for the great bats or holdfasts； for fixing the beams of the Beacon… house；
while the smith was fully attended in laying out the site of his forge； upon
a somewhat sheltered spot of the rock； which also recommended itself
from the vicinity of a pool of water for tempering his irons。 These
preliminary steps occupied about an hour； and as nothing further could be
done during this tide towards fixing the forge； the workmen gratified their
curiosity by roaming about the rock； which they investigated with great
eagerness till the tide overflowed it。 Those who had been sick picked
dulse （FUCUS PALMATUS）； which they ate with much seeming appetite；
others were more intent upon collecting limpets for bait； to enjoy the
amusement of fishing when they returned on board of the vessel。 Indeed；
none came away empty…handed； as everything found upon the Bell Rock
was considered valuable； being connected with some interesting
association。 Several coins； and numerous bits of shipwrecked iron； were
picked up； of almost every description； and； in particular； a marking…iron
lettered JAMES … a circumstance of which it was thought proper to give
notice to the public； as it might lead to the knowledge of some unfortunate
shipwreck； perhaps unheard of till this simple occurrence led to the
discovery。 When the rock began to be overflowed； the landing…master
arranged the crews of the respective boats； appointing twelve persons to
each。 According to a rule which the writer had laid down to himself； he
was always the last person who left the rock。
In a short time the Bell Rock was laid completely under water； and the
weather being extremely fine； the sea was so smooth that its place could
not be pointed out from the appearance of the surface … a circumstance
which sufficiently demonstrates the dangerous nature of this rock； even
during the day； and in the smoothest and calmest state of the sea。 During
the interval between the morning and the evening tides； the artificers were
variously employed in fishing and reading； others were busy in drying and
adjusting their wet clothes； and one or two amused their companions with
65
… Page 66…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
the violin and German flute。
About seven in the evening the signal bell for landing on the rock was
again rung； when every man was at his quarters。 In this service it was
thought more appropriate to use the bell than to PIPE to quarters； as the
use of this instrument is less known to the mechanic than the sound of the
bell。 The landing； as in the morning； was at the eastern harbour。 During
this tide the seaweed was pretty well cleared from the site of the
operations； and also from the tracks leading to the different landing…places；
for walking upon the rugged surface of the Bell Rock； when covered with
seaweed； was found to be extremely difficult and even dangerous。 Every
hand that could possibly be occupied now employed in assisting the smith
to fit up the apparatus for his forge。 At 9 p。m。 the boats returned to the
tender； after other two hours' work； in the same order as formerly … perhaps
as much gratified with the success that attended the work of this day as
with any other in the whole course of the operations。 Although it could
not he said that the fatigues of this day had been great； yet all on board
retired early to rest。 The sea being calm； and no movement on deck； it
was pretty generally remarked in the morning that the bell awakened the
greater number on board from their first sleep； and though this observation
was not altogether applicable to the writer himself； yet he was not a little
pleased to find that thirty people could all at once become so reconciled to
a night's quarters within a few hundred paces of the Bell Rock。
＇Wednesday； 19th Aug。＇
Being extremely anxious at this time to get forward with fixing the
smith's forge； on which the progress of the work at present depended； the
writer requested that he might be called at daybreak to learn the landing…
master's opinion of the weather from the appearance of the rising sun； a
criterion by which experienced seamen can generally judge pretty
accurately of the state of the weather for the following day。 About five
o'clock； on coming upon deck； the sun's upper limb or disc had just begun
to appear as if rising from the ocean； and in less than a minute he was seen
in the fullest splendour； but after a short interval he was enveloped in a
soft cloudy sky； which was considered emblematical of fine weather。 His
rays had not yet sufficiently dispelled the clouds which hid the land from
66
… Page 67…
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
view； and the Bell Rock being still overflowed； the whole was one expanse
of water。 This scene in itself was highly gratifying； and； when the
morning bell was tolled； we were gratified with the happy forebodings of
good weather and the expectation of having both a morning and an
evening tide's work on the rock。
The boat which the writer steered happened to be the last which
approached the rock at this tide； and； in standing up in the stern； while at
some distance； to see how the leading boat entered the creek； he was
astonished to observe something in the form of a human figure； in a
reclining posture； upon one of the ledges of the rock。 He immediately
steered the boat through a narrow entrance to the eastern harbour； with a
thousand unpleasant sensations in his mind。 He thought a vessel or boat
must have been wrecked upon the rock during the night； and it seemed
probable that the rock might be strewed with dead bodies； a spectacle
which could not fail to deter the artificers from returning so freely to their
work。 In the midst of these reveries the boat took the ground at an
improper landing…place； but； without waiting to push her off； he leapt upon
the rock； and making his way hastily to the spot which had privately given
him alarm； he had the satisfaction to ascertain that he had only been
deceived by the peculiar situation and aspect of the smith's anvil and block；
which very completely represented the appearance of a lifeless body upon
the rock。 The writer carefully suppressed his feelings； the simple
mention of which might have had a bad effect upon the artificers； and his
has
